Ruminations on Power

For many, "power" has many negative connotations, primarily because all our lives other people have had power over us, whether subliminal, covert or overt. This leaves us feeling "powerless." Taking back any amount of this power, as indicated previously, can result in various forms of punishment, from mild to severe.

More and more, the power certain "professionals" have over those who look to them as purveyors of not only truth, but honorable behavior, which has been abused, is coming to light. A current hot issue is in the area of abuse, by those in power, of those who have little power, is in the churches; the Catholic Church is not the only branch of religion where this issue has come up, while it is far more pervasive in it than most have wanted to believe. The revelations, and subsequent scandal, started here in the United States many years ago. The abuse was not restricted to the United States, however, as it is now being revealed, but is wide spread. It remains to be seen if the full extent of the abuse will be revealed.

What individuals have experienced, in the area of sexuality in our lives, is a closely guarded secret for many. I will ruminate on the role of "secrets" in our lives, at another time.

In the psychiatric community, many years ago now, laws were passed criminalizing sexual contact between the therapist and his/her client, (primarily his). There were a number of scandals that ruined the careers of a number of well known therapists, in the '70's, and later. When I was working on my Master's in Art Therapy, I did a study, and wrote a paper about, the attitudes of the founders of Psychiatry and Psychology toward having sexual relationships with their clients. I found that many of them not only practiced it, but promoted it as a way of therapy!

In other fields, such as law and government, where there is a relationship of power, laws have also been passed to criminalize this behavior. Still, we can read frequently in the newspapers where "harassment" is being charged against prominent individuals. Just because a law is passed, it will not, necessarily, change individual behavior. This is due, primarily, to the fact that those being charged have established beliefs as to their right to relate to others in this way.

This is the situation that exists in all of our lives; having to interact with individuals who believe they have a right, (or duty) to act in a particular way. Or who believe that it is their right to correct what you have come to believe.

Sexuality is, it must be remembered, one of our mos t "human" traits; the churches, in branding sexual behavior as "sinful," has had a major role in determining all of our feelings and beliefs around it. The fact that the churches are embroiled in this controversy over sexual behavior at the highest levels has had a shocking, and eye-opening, affect on vast numbers of people. It has been a-long-time-a'comin'.

I have gotten off the main subject in this blog, but this is relevant to all of our lives.

Shirley Gallup